


Stay

by greyone01



Series: The Book of DameRey [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: DameRey, F/M, Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, damerey ficlets, damerey is endgame, damerey one-shot, flangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-08 07:24:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15238353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyone01/pseuds/greyone01
Summary: Commander Poe Dameron has big shoes to fill when leadership of the Resistance is passed onto him by General Leia Organa. Fortunately, he's found himself a good support system from those who decided to stay by his side. Originally a one-shot entitled "Suggestion" but now expanded to a two-chapter work, or maybe multi-chapter later on...we'll see how it goes :)





	1. Suggestion

**Author's Note:**

> Commander Poe Dameron knew Rey dreamt of exploring worlds she’s never been to. As General Leia Organa’s chosen successor as leader of the Resistance, he assigns Rey on a mission that will take her all over the galaxy. Problem is, Rey wanted something else.
> 
> From the Tumblr kissing prompt: as a suggestion

“Why don’t you talk to him?” Finn asked his frowning friend. “If it’s stressing you this much, just tell him and ask for a new assignment. I’m sure there are other options.”

Rey was still frowning. “I don’t know Finn. Do you think he’ll listen and possibly reconsider?”

“Seriously, Rey?!” Finn exclaimed incredulously. “This is Poe we’re talking about. He always listens to you, and if what you’re asking for is within reason, I’m sure he’ll reconsider.” He shook his head, “No, I take that back – Poe will certainly reconsider anything you ask him to.”

His words made her blush. It was no secret that over the years, Finn, Rey and Poe had become good friends, and while Rey and Finn remained close friends, she and Poe shared a different kind of closeness. While they never talked about it, they also certainly did not make it a secret. More than once, Finn had gone to Rey when he wanted something from Poe that he couldn’t bring himself to directly ask the commander, or to Poe to ask Rey something he couldn’t.

“Just go talk to him, Rey,” Finn said more gently, seeing that despite his teasing, Rey seemed genuinely still unsettled. “Worst case scenario – he’ll say no, and you’ll have to carry out the mission anyway.”

Rey nodded, realized Finn was right, and got up to look for Poe. After asking around for a bit, she found him in Leia’s old office – one of the many things passed on to him by the late General. BB-8 was with Poe, of course, and after the mandatory affectionate tweak on his antenna, the droid moved to let her in and closed the door behind her.

Poe was in the holo booth in the far corner of the room, in the midst of a conversation. Rey carefully made her way to the couch on the aft side of the room, where she knew she will be out of sight. BB-8 rolled to a stop in front of her, so instead of sitting, she fell on a crouch before the droid and gave it the attention it was seeking. It didn’t take long for Poe to wrap things up.

“Hey,” he said with a weary smile, stepping around BB-8 and flopping on the couch. “If I had known you were going to be here, I would’ve asked them to talk to you instead.”

“Trying to get out of your duties, Commander?” Rey teased. It was no secret that one of the things Poe disliked the most about being one of the leaders of the Resistance was having to deal with politicians. 

He made a face. “No, just delegating,” he joked back. “Gods, I don’t know how Leia did all of this on her own, and for so long.”

“She was raised to do all of that,” Rey pointed out. “Besides, she wasn’t on her own, at least not towards the end. She had you.”

BB-8 interjected a couple of cheery beeps, making both of them laugh. “Yeah, you’re right buddy, I’ve got you to help me,” Poe grinned, reaching down to give his faithful astromech a belly rub. BB-8 cooed back happily. Nowadays, the droid functioned more as a personal assistant rather than a co-pilot.

Rey stood up and smiled at the pair. “Maybe I should come back another time, if you want some alone time together.”

Poe straightened up with a chuckle and settled back on the couch. BB-8, sensing it was time for his humans to talk, quietly rolled away in search of other things to do. Rey suddenly felt awkward, not knowing how to approach Poe regarding her request for a change in assignment. It was strange, she and Poe usually can talk comfortably about anything, no matter how serious or how trivial, but it felt a bit off for her to request for a change in a task he clearly chose for her. She didn’t want him to think she’s ignoring his authority or taking advantage of their close relationship.

“So,” Poe regarded her curiously, sensing her unease. “What’s wrong?”

Rey remained standing. “About that mission you were sending me to, I was hoping we could talk about that.”

Poe nodded, seeming nonplussed. “Sure, what about it?”

“Is there somewhere else I could go to, or something else I can do?” She suddenly felt the need to start moving, so she began to pace. “I mean, I know it made sense to go to the Outer Rim planets to look for sympathizers to our cause and to look for other Force-sensitive individuals, but I don’t feel ready for that. At least not for the latter group. Half the time I use the Force I’ve only been following my instincts – I can’t even explain how I do it. How am I supposed to know what to do when we do find other Force-sensitives?”

Poe regarded her carefully, knowing this was dangerous territory. One of Rey’s insecurities was never having any formal training in harnessing her ability to work with the Force – she had confessed how inadequate she felt compared to the Jedi of old. He decided to say nothing to contradict what she just said, and instead settled for asking her what she wanted to do.

Rey stopped pacing, the question not at all what she was expecting. She had been prepared to tell him every logical reason why she shouldn’t go out there, but he wasn’t even asking her for those. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted, shrugging. “Is there anything I can do here instead?”

Poe wanted to jump up and hug her – honestly, sending her away was the last thing he wanted to do, but he was afraid that if he asked her to stay on base, she would feel smothered and repressed. That by keeping her close, he’ll just drive her away. They often talked about all the planets he’s been to, it was one of their favorite things to do during nights when sleep proved to be elusive to both, and Rey repeatedly had expressed her desire to someday go and explore the other worlds she hasn’t been to. He thought that she would see the mission as her opportunity to do that, and while it pained him to send her away, he didn’t want to hold her back. Yet, here she was, asking him instead if she could stay.

He didn’t realize that he was taking too long to reply, and that Rey mistook his silence as disapproval. “Okay, I’ll go if that’s what you want me to do,” she finally said defeatedly, shoulders drooping.

“Kriff, no, Rey,” Poe exclaimed, shaking his head vehemently, moving as if to rise from the couch. “I’m sorry, I was just surprised that you don’t want to go.”

“I’ll go if you want me to,” she said again, her eyes not quite meeting his, but not making any move to leave.

“No, no, no,” Poe shook his head again. He stood up and walked to her. When he was finally facing her, he gently laid a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to raise her eyes to meet his. “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to,” he said firmly. “It’s really up to you. I thought you’d see the mission as a chance to go after that dream of yours to explore the galaxy. But if you want to stay, I don’t have a problem with that either.”

“Yeah?” A smile started to form on her face. She really did want to stay, not to go away on her own – not without him. “You’re okay with me staying?”

His hand was still on her shoulder, and he gave her an affectionate squeeze. “More than okay. You don’t need my approval to do what you want to do.”

She broke into a beaming smile and surprised him by hugging him. Rey, who detested human contact, was actually hugging him. “Thank you, Poe!”

Instinctively, he returned the hug. When she didn’t make any attempts to move away from him, he just continued holding her and savoring their closeness. After a while, Rey pulled back a little, just enough for her to look up at him. “I do want to go and see other worlds, but I don’t want to do it alone. I only want to do that if you’re with me, Poe,” she said shyly. His eyes lit up with her words, prompting her to continue. “But I know you can’t really do that right now, so I’ll stay. I’ll stay here, with you, if you could stand having me around.”

Poe couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Rey wanted to explore the galaxy but only if he goes with her? Rey wanting to be around him? Could it be possible that she also felt that they have something special between them? His embrace tightened around her waist, pulling her just a tad closer to him. She responded by letting herself lean against him. It felt so kriffing right. Taking a deep breath, he dared to ask. “What do we have, Rey?”

“Friendship,” she answered promptly, holding his eyes in an unwavering gaze. His heart fell at the word, but she wasn’t done talking yet. “A really good friendship,” she said, pausing briefly before adding, “with potential for more.”

“More what?” he whispered, feeling hopeful again. He was suddenly aware that their faces were merely inches apart. Neither of them made any move to pull back.

“I don’t know,” Rey admitted. “I don’t know the words for it, but this has got to be more than just a really good friendship.”

“Yeah,” Poe agreed, elated that she also felt what he had been feeling for a while now. Somewhere along the way, their friendship had developed into something deeper. He tightened his arms around her, as she kept hers resting on his shoulders, entwined behind his neck. “I know. Do you mind if I make a suggestion?”

“What suggestion might that be?” she asked breathlessly, his nearness making her feel warm and heady. 

Keeping an arm around her, he raised a hand to cup her jaw. His thumb gently caressed her cheek, and when she didn’t pull away, he closed the distance between them. As his lips made the wordless suggestion against hers, he felt her embrace go tighter. She let out a small sigh as she kissed him back, agreeing with what he suggested, realizing that there was no need for words to define what they have between them. 

It was Poe’s best suggestion ever.


	2. Encouragement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the Tumblr kissing prompt: As encouragement

“Dismissed.” 

With a single word, the new leader of the Resistance ended the first official meeting under his command. As the core group of Resistance officers trickled out, he remained standing stoically at the center of command, hands clasped behind his back. He had planted his feet slightly apart in a steady stance, his shoulders squared back in confidence and his jaw set in determination. The room was soon empty save for him, his astromech droid and the last Jedi. Like him, she remained still as statue, standing on his right and slightly behind him. Upon hearing the soft hiss of the door shutting close, she was the first to move, her head turning ever so slightly to his direction.

She watched in silence as he let go of his confident façade. Letting out a shuddering breath, his let his shoulders drop and slowly bent his head down. She remained unmoved, feeling waves of despair from man next to her. When the anguish from him does not seem to show any signs of letting up, she stepped closer until she was standing before him.

“Poe,” she whispered. He closed his eyes and kept his head down. After what seemed like eternity, he slowly looked up, his eyes locking with hers. Now that they’re alone, he let his walls down, he never could hide anything from her anyway.

“Poe,” she whispered again, feeling his despondence. She raised her hand and gently cupped his jaw.

“How am I going to do this, Rey?” he asked brokenly. “Gods, I’m not ready for this!”

“No one is ever ready for these things,” Rey said gently. “But they come anyway. Best we can do is believe that the Force would not have send this your way if you cannot handle it.”

Her words elicited a small smile from him, a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Spoken like a true Jedi,” Poe replied. “But it sure doesn’t feel like we are in the Force’s good graces at this time.”

He stepped away from her and ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe you’re right, I can handle this,” he said a few moments later. “But knowing me, I’d probably handle this badly.”

Hazel eyes studied him silently. She could easily see his uncertainty, his doubts on his capacity to fill the big shoes General Leia Organa left for him to fill. She knew how all of these came to be, she knew of his swift and painful journey from being a brash cocky flyboy to a steadfast leader. It occurred to her now that while he knew he had spent nearly half of his lifetime getting groomed for this role, he never really grasped just how far he’d come. This realization sparked something in her, and she knew she somehow have to make him see this. Now.

“Poe Dameron.” Her stern tone made his head snap up to look at her. Seeing she’s got his full attention, she goes on in the same stern manner. “Listen to me, and listen good.” She paused. “I’ve known you for, what, almost a decade now?”

He merely shrugged and remained quiet. Recognizing this rare occurrence of him being speechless, she seized the opportunity to barrel on. “You’re no longer that impulsive commander who destroyed the dreadnaught and led a mutiny years ago. You’ve supported Leia, you were indispensable in her efforts to build up the dying Resistance to the formidable power we are now. You’ve shown time and again how good you are in rallying the troops behind our cause. Your commitment inspired countless fighters to carry on with the fight. We survived, we grew strong, and we’re still surviving and getting stronger, because we have you leading us. All of us know Leia had given you the reins back in Crait, when she asked those Resistance fighters to follow you. You may not have realized it, but I’m telling you now, even with Leia still around in the past few years, she wasn’t leading us anymore. You have been our leader through all these years, and Leia and the rest of us knew that.”

Rey stopped to let him absorb all she said. She walked to where he was standing. “I’m not saying this just to make you feel better, Poe. I’m saying it because I want you to see what we all have seen over the years.” She was now standing right in front of him. “If you still think this is all lip service, let me remind you that I’ve been around all this time. I’m a witness to all of this.” She reached up to brush some stray locks away from his face. “In case you may have failed to notice, I’ve been by your side every step of the way. I’ve played the devil’s advocate when needed, and when you can’t quite see something so wrong even if it’s staring you in the face, I’ve been quick to point that out, haven’t I? And with you is exactly where I plan on staying.”

She looked intently in his eyes, herself realizing that the words she just said were exactly the words Kylo Ren had hoped to hear years ago in Snoke’s throne room, when she rejected his offer to rule the galaxy with him. Back then, she struggled to come to terms her decision to not go with the powerful man who wanted a nobody like her by his side. As Poe’s gaze met hers now, she found herself remembering how her first conversation with him saved her from spiraling down the path of the Dark Side. His eyes were kind and sincere when he gave her the affirmation she was desperately seeking then. The certainty in his voice when he said the two words that was her salvation, “I know,” had earned him her undying faithfulness in the same way that he’s earned hers by the affection she had shown his droid upon their reunion on the Falcon.

As his eyes continued to hold hers, she looked at him in the same way that he looked at her back then. She smiled and tilted her head up. “You’ll do well on your own, you’ll do more than well. But you don’t have to do it alone.” She rested her forehead against his. “I believe in you, Poe,” her lips brush against his as she murmured the words. “You can do this.” She punctuated her words with a firmer kiss.

“Thank you,” Poe whispered. He cupped her face with his hands. “For having faith in me.”

“I’m with you all the way, flyboy.” She kissed him again, and this time, he responded readily to her kiss. While it was one of the more chaste kisses they’ve shared, it was loaded with certainty and devotion. When they broke away from each other, he smiled and kissed her forehead. When his eyes met hers again, the shadows of doubt were gone and the familiar mischievous glint was back.

“I think I’m going to need more encouragement,” he said cheekily. Rey gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. She looked like she was going to say something, but Poe interrupted her by capturing her lips again with his. “This kind of encouragement.”

Rey happily obliged. “Anytime, flyboy.”


End file.
